This is what I REALLY love about the Kemper....

[Dimebag11]

....you can really hear and appreciate all the recorded tones of tons of different amplifiers. Thereby making the choice of which "real" amp to purchase that much easier. No more flipping for the sound you want, you'll know what you want.

Like I know right now the first two amps I'd purchase are a Bogner XTC and a Splawn Quickrod....and if I could have any four amps I'd add in a Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier, and a Diezel VH-4......those would be the only four amps I'd ever need. Unfortunately, they'd cost me roughly $7,500 to buy used. The Kemper is under $2,000

 

[D-Rock]

It is a GREAT vehicle for sure. Your point is a good one too.
But I won't be taking a ride in it anytime soon...Just my personal preference.

 

[legend71]

Never heard one live that sounded good onstage myself. Just like Axe FX. I like real amps best for live usage. Studio probably different.

 

[Red_Label]

I've been jonesing for a Kemper for a while now. Once I get all of my latest GAS purchases all paid-for (FOUR flamenco guitars, Fishman SA220 "Fishstick", subs for my PA, etc)... I'm going to get one. I've only been playing acoustic live these days, so I think the Kemper would be perfect for my current home-only rock playing. Plus, I can go sample the great tube amps I've sold-off to my buddy and others over the past couple of years and "get them back" again.

 

[Robotechnology]

Never heard one live that sounded good onstage myself. Just like Axe FX. I like real amps best for live usage. Studio probably different.

Opened up for King's X 2 months ago and Dug & Ty both used Axe FX units and they really sounded great. At no point did it sound like they didn't have amps on stage. They used their Axe's as preamps and used tube amps as the power sections. They had the added bonus of being able to recreate ALL of their tones from their vast song catalog by changing presets in between songs.

 

[Red_Label]

Never heard one live that sounded good onstage myself. Just like Axe FX. I like real amps best for live usage. Studio probably different.

Opened up for King's X 2 months ago and Dug & Ty both used Axe FX units and they really sounded great. At no point did it sound like they didn't have amps on stage. They used their Axe's as preamps and used tube amps as the power sections. They had the added bonus of being able to recreate ALL of their tones from their vast song catalog by changing presets in between songs.

NICE!

But I remember my 11R sounding pretty good through a Rocktron Velocity 300 power amp (2-space older style) and my Marshall 1960B in stereo. I was never able to get it to sound that good DI into the PA. I want the Kemper to feel and sound that good through the PA. I dunno... maybe one's GOT to have at least one 4X12 pushing air behind you to get the full effect. Though I know a local guy who does get some good tones DI out of his 11R (he's been leaving his Soldano stuff at home for a couple of years now) and would NO doubt be able to do so with the Kemper.

 

[Shark Diver]

Thereby making the choice of which "real" amp to purchase that much easier. No more flipping for the sound you want, you'll know what you want.

When the Axe Fx first came out I used the SLO model through a VHT power amp. That model was generally considered te best one at the time. I had never heard an SLO before - it is what made me buy one.

They used their Axe's as preamps and used tube amps as the power sections.

And the tubes are the difference. Even with my Two-Notes LIVE I can't ditch a real power section. Just doesn't sound good without the tube amp to me.

 

[Red_Label]

And the tubes are the difference. Even with my Two-Notes LIVE I can't ditch a real power section. Just doesn't sound good without the tube amp to me.

Preamp sections are no real big deal to duplicate. I've heard plenty of solid state and digital modelers that do a great job of that. I'm still rocking my Vox Tonelab LE and digging it. But where everything seems to fall short is the power amp section. That's where ALL of the magic in a tube amp happens for me. I've got a friend (long time RT lurker) who's had his Marshall 9000 series power amp since the 80s. Despite the fact that he's got a room full of great amps (Splawn, Lickliter, Elmwood, Bogner, etc), his Marshall JMP-1/9000 rig STILL sounds awesome for certain 80s music.

 

[thiswaythatway]

I've played the Axe and Kemper. Do they sound good? Yes. Do they make me feel like I'm playing all those amps mentioned by the OP? Not at all to me.

 

[PBGas]

I had a Kemper for almost 10 months. I liked it but I was constantly tweaking and trying to get the perfect sound. Then came the issue of making presets that sounded great in the studio but live, well....meh....wasn't working for me.

That being said, the unit has so many cool things going for it.

I think what really got me ticked off was the whole BS they pulled with the poweramp upgrade. Very poorly thought out and executed. I'm really glad to see that they finally came through for the users with the Performance mode. I tried the pitch effect and it's decent but still needs work and I'm sure they will continue to tweak it to perfection.

I'm just happier having an amp instead, nothing more than that. I find that with the Live, I get a much better cab emulation for my amp. It just sounds much more real....to me at least. I also like the editor librarian with the Torpedo. This is one area that Kemper needs to also work on. It's very easy to shift through the buttons and knobs but it still is tedious. Hopefully they'll come up with that in the future as well.

Good on your for sticking with it and enjoying it!

 

[maddnotez]

Never heard one live that sounded good onstage myself. Just like Axe FX. I like real amps best for live usage. Studio probably different.

Slightly off topic, I have never heard a Kemper live.

But I did hear and Axe-FX live (not sure if it was ultra or axe II) With a 6505+ for the power amp and a 4x12 Orange cab and that completely destroyed.

One of the best tones I have heard live. Plus im sure the sound guy was happy.

 

[rocknrolla]

I still can't wrap my brain around how a Kemper is supposed to work. Bear with me whilst I try to work out my retardation.

It profiles an amp by using a mic so the preamp, poweramp, speakers, and mic are all part of the chain right?
So running that out to another tube amp and into another speaker cab would be the same as mic'ing a cab, running it to a mixer, then running that out to another tube poweramp and speaker cab?
Isn't there an insane amount of coloration then?

 

[Shark Diver]

With a 6505+ for the power amp and a 4x12 Orange cab and that completely destroyed.
.

With this, it would be the same as a "normal" rig. So, the sound man is still dealing with the normal stuff. Right?

 

[Dimebag11]

With a 6505+ for the power amp and a 4x12 Orange cab and that completely destroyed.
.

With this, it would be the same as a "normal" rig. So, the sound man is still dealing with the normal stuff. Right?

Not if the sound guy is only working with the monitor out signal.....the poweramp/cabinet would be for onstage sound only.

 

[maddnotez]

With a 6505+ for the power amp and a 4x12 Orange cab and that completely destroyed.
.

With this, it would be the same as a "normal" rig. So, the sound man is still dealing with the normal stuff. Right?

Not if the sound guy is only working with the monitor out signal.....the poweramp/cabinet would be for onstage sound only.

^^^ Cab wasnt mic'd, was just a monitor for the guy but I was standing right in front of it and it sounded deadly...

 

[Shark Diver]

With a 6505+ for the power amp and a 4x12 Orange cab and that completely destroyed.
.

With this, it would be the same as a "normal" rig. So, the sound man is still dealing with the normal stuff. Right?

Not if the sound guy is only working with the monitor out signal.....the poweramp/cabinet would be for onstage sound only.

^^^ Cab wasnt mic'd, was just a monitor for the guy but I was standing right in front of it and it sounded deadly...

I get it. Just wondering if it is working through the PA, why have an amp/cab at all? Not a slam. And in this case, in the FOH, you have taken the power amp/cab out of the equation, which as someone else said is the usual issue with getting a good sound with all the digital hardware live. So, since you had said they had an Axe/amp/cab I thought that was the tone you were referring to - not the direct simulated power amp/cab tone - which is where most of the issues for people arise.

 

[SkyhighRocks]

With a 6505+ for the power amp and a 4x12 Orange cab and that completely destroyed.
.

With this, it would be the same as a "normal" rig. So, the sound man is still dealing with the normal stuff. Right?

Not if the sound guy is only working with the monitor out signal.....the poweramp/cabinet would be for onstage sound only.

^^^ Cab wasnt mic'd, was just a monitor for the guy but I was standing right in front of it and it sounded deadly...

I get it. Just wondering if it is working through the PA, why have an amp/cab at all? Not a slam. And in this case, in the FOH, you have taken the power amp/cab out of the equation, which as someone else said is the usual issue with getting a good sound with all the digital hardware live. So, since you had said they had an Axe/amp/cab I thought that was the tone you were referring to - not the direct simulated power amp/cab tone - which is where most of the issues for people arise.

The poweramp/cab part is inside the unit, turned on, and going out to FOH. Then the amp/cab on stage has that feature turned off in the axe/kemper for a stage sound. The real poweramp/cab isn't getting the colored sound. Some guys prefer a 4x12...some prefer wedges.

 

[Shark Diver]

With a 6505+ for the power amp and a 4x12 Orange cab and that completely destroyed.
.

With this, it would be the same as a "normal" rig. So, the sound man is still dealing with the normal stuff. Right?

Not if the sound guy is only working with the monitor out signal.....the poweramp/cabinet would be for onstage sound only.

^^^ Cab wasnt mic'd, was just a monitor for the guy but I was standing right in front of it and it sounded deadly...

I get it. Just wondering if it is working through the PA, why have an amp/cab at all? Not a slam. And in this case, in the FOH, you have taken the power amp/cab out of the equation, which as someone else said is the usual issue with getting a good sound with all the digital hardware live. So, since you had said they had an Axe/amp/cab I thought that was the tone you were referring to - not the direct simulated power amp/cab tone - which is where most of the issues for people arise.

The poweramp/cab part is inside the unit, turned on, and going out to FOH. Then the amp/cab on stage has that feature turned off in the axe/kemper for a stage sound. The real poweramp/cab isn't getting the colored sound. Some guys prefer a 4x12...some prefer wedges.

I get how they work. It was just a comment on that if the FoH tone is great, why even carry the "real" amp cab? But yeah, some guys prefer the cabs behind them. I would imagine as long as they are at a reasonable level the sound guy won't care.

I go back and forth on bringing cabs anymore. I keep having this voice in my head tell me I need them, then I play without them and it is prefect. Better spread, levels, even tone. I'm so use to cabs behind me I stick a wedge behind me so i get that feel.

 

[stratotone]

Fuck bringing a cab to the gig, I use a powered monitor - easier to carry, quicker to tear down, and sounds fine and loud and doesn't cause as many issues with an onstage mix.

 

[PBGas]

Small combo or my head to a gig with the Torpedo live and I am good to go. No cab needed if they have monitors.